Yes, the president must do much more, but his jobs proposals if fully implemented would have put millions back to work by now--including in hard-hit black communities. The problem is petty politics, not economic policy.

This weekend, President Obama took a beating for declaring the private sector "fine." But he was correct. The real jobs crisis is in the public sector, and Obama's the only one with a plan to fix it. Turns out, that's also the only real plan to deal with black joblessness.

Greek austerity? Eurozone collapse? What's this got to do with the financial slog so many communities of color are still facing in the U.S.? For starters, it could make things a lot harder, soon. Imara Jones offers a primer--and preventive steps.

Today's jobs report tells most Americans already what they already know: We're still mired in joblessness. But Imara Jones argues we should really fear the larger problem: There remains no plan for getting unstuck.

Since 2010, a new meme has spread to dozens of states: Drug testing people who apply for safety net benefits. The goal is to change economic debates into a culture war over who does and does not deserve help.